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RSA: Microsoft upbeat on cybercrime fight

Redmond exec Scott Charney says past success in the cyber security field should promote optimism for the future

Microsoft corporate vice president of Trustworthy Computing Scott Charney used his 2013 RSA opening keynote to explain why the cyber security sector's future isn't as dire as some analysts have projected.

Charney explained that emerging technologies and trends that fed his optimistic outlook on the sector. During his keynote, the Microsoft executive shared some historical perspective to illuminate the sector's ability to rise to challenges.

"Optimism is about a future state and when I think about our future state, I realise we handled a lot of things," said Charney during his keynote presentation at RSA.

Charney discussed the three main principals of security fundamentals, solid management, and positive outside influences as important parts of the industry's future success.

Security fundamentals include software innovations that help to build out a foundation for stronger cyber security, he said. The two main tools he highlighted included the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) and the ISO 27034 guideline.

During his keynote, he said that those technologies, and technologies like them, allow security administrators to catch and prevent threats early.

Charney also added that those tools open standards approach allows for them to continuously improve over time.

"We now have the ability to do trusted boot and measured boot, [and] the ability to load anti-malware products early in the stack," continued Charney.

Strong management options served as a base for Charney's optimism as well. He specifically highlighted the cloud and app stores ability to create standards and constantly update software.

"We need users to be on the latest version of software to protect them and with the cloud-based model and app store model we can do that," said Charney.

Charney's words come as Google and Microsoft start to build out secure app stores for enterprise.

While Charney noted that enterprise must do its part to combat cyber attacks, he also said that government policy will play a part in future protection.

Charney specifically noted that it is important for world governments to come together set standard practices for dealing with global cyber security issues.

His words come following a string of high profile attacks on Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook. The attacks have been alleged to come from governmental agencies from either Eastern Europe or China.